Refuse collection and weighing system
First Claim
1. An improved weighing loader for a refuse vehicle for lifting a refuse container from a surface, weighing the contents of the container and emptying the contents thereof into a vehicle refuse compartment having an access area, said improved loader comprising:
- (a) a lift assembly attachable to said vehicle;
(b) carriage means reciprocal along said lift assembly;
(c) drive means for operatively driving said carriage means reciprocally along said lift assembly;
(d) gripping means operatively carried on said carriage means, said gripping means including a pair of opposed first and second gripping arms and further including actuator means for opening and closing said first and second gripping arms with respect to each other in order to releasably retain and release a refuse container, said gripping arms being configured to freely support said container;
(e) load cell means mounted on said gripping means and supporting said gripping arms at opposite locations with respect to the configuration of the container, said load cell means providing an electrical output signal representative of the weight supported by the gripping arms; and
(f) processing means for monitoring said load cell means output signal during upward and downward travel of the carriage means to determine the net weight of the contents of the container.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A loader for a mobile refuse collection vehicle having a lift for engaging and transporting a refuse container from the ground to an elevated dump position and return. The container engaging means include a weighing device to provide a signal representative of the refuse weight. Discrete indicia, preferably machine readable, are associated with each container. The information relative to the refuse weight and container identification are processed and stored for billing and route management purposes. The weighing device preferably is a load cell. The corresponding method of determining the weight of collected refuse is also disclosed.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. An improved weighing loader for a refuse vehicle for lifting a refuse container from a surface, weighing the contents of the container and emptying the contents thereof into a vehicle refuse compartment having an access area, said improved loader comprising:
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(a) a lift assembly attachable to said vehicle; (b) carriage means reciprocal along said lift assembly; (c) drive means for operatively driving said carriage means reciprocally along said lift assembly; (d) gripping means operatively carried on said carriage means, said gripping means including a pair of opposed first and second gripping arms and further including actuator means for opening and closing said first and second gripping arms with respect to each other in order to releasably retain and release a refuse container, said gripping arms being configured to freely support said container; (e) load cell means mounted on said gripping means and supporting said gripping arms at opposite locations with respect to the configuration of the container, said load cell means providing an electrical output signal representative of the weight supported by the gripping arms; and (f) processing means for monitoring said load cell means output signal during upward and downward travel of the carriage means to determine the net weight of the contents of the container. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of obtaining weight information relative to the weight of refuse collected from a plurality of individual refuse containers at spaced apart locations along a collection route, said method comprising:
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(a) engaging selected of said containers by engagement means associated with a mobile collection vehicle; (b) providing said engagement means with load cells generally displaced at locations at opposite sides of an engaged container; (c) elevating the said container from a position on the ground to a dump position; (d) taking at least one reading from said load cells when said container is being elevated when the container is relatively stable and freely supported on said engagement means to establish the total weight of the container; (e) returning said container from said dump position to said ground position; (f) taking at least one reading from said load cells when said container is moving downward and when said container is relatively stable and freely supported on said engagement means to establish the tare weight of the container; and (g) comparing the net weight and the tare weight to establish the net weight of the contents of the container. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification